1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to inter-device connection between an electronic device such as a cellular phone with a short-range wireless communication function and another device, and more particularly, to a dynamic priority connection method of an electronic device used for selecting and connecting a connection device with the use of dynamic information representing movement of a device or a user carrying the device, etc., for example, a distance from a connection device, a position thereof and a time, or a received signal level from a base station of a cellular phone, a remaining battery power amount of the cellular phone, a phone call status, etc. in the case that the connection device is a cellular phone, as prioritizing information.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a short-range wireless communication function, for example, device-to-device connection is performed with radio signals in conformity with the Bluetooth communication standard. Wireless connection between devices by such a short-range wireless communication function is utilized for information utilization in data transmission from a cellular phone to a personal computer (PC) or for improving convenience of a device by complementing a function not possessed by one device with another device, such as the case of a cellular phone and a headset. However, if a multiplicity of devices having such a short-range wireless communication function is located around a user, individual setting must be performed for selecting a connection destination of those devices.
This type of technology exists as a technology for forming wireless network with an emergency notification apparatus equipped with a Bluetooth module and a plurality of cellular phones being able to communicate with this emergency notification apparatus in the Bluetooth as well as for selecting a cellular phone in the order of priority from cellular phones participating to the wireless network to attempt to notify the cellular phone (e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-22490) and a technology for limiting a destination as a device equipped with a short-range wireless communication function matching to a search condition and for transmitting data to the destination (e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-348100).
By the way, the technology described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-22490 (paragraph Nos. 0008, 0018 and 0024, FIG. 1, etc.) merely attempts connection with a nearby cellular phone participating to the wireless network, and the technology described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No.2003-348100 (paragraph Nos. 0025 and 0038, FIG. 1, FIG. 2, etc.) merely searches a destination matching to a search condition set in advance. Either technology does not select a connection destination device from a plurality of devices based on dynamic information such as movement of a device, a reception signal level representing a usage status, a position, a time, etc., has a problem of selecting a connection destination from various devices and does not solve the problem.
In an electronic device with a short-range wireless communication function, for example, a cellular phone, if a user cannot hold or operate the cellular phone, it is inconvenient that a phone call, a check of an incoming call, etc. may not be performed.
With regard to a technology enabling an emergency notification through the mediation of a cellular phone (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-22490), in a configuration attempting connection in the order of connection to the network from a cellular phone connected first, it is inconvenient that a notification is discontinued or cannot be performed if a received signal level of the cellular phone is low, if remaining battery power amount is low or if the cellular phone is busy.